An Act to combat COVID-19 vaccine price gouging

This Massachusetts bill aims to lower the cost of COVID-19 vaccines for state programs and residents by requiring the state health secretary to create a unified purchasing plan that negotiates a maximum price for each dose. The legislation mandates that this price cap cannot exceed the lower of the cost paid by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the reimbursement rate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Additionally, the bill ensures that COVID-19 vaccines are fully covered without any deductibles, co-payments, or co-insurance for employees, Medicaid members, and individuals with various private health insurance plans. State officials must also submit annual reports detailing the cost savings and efficiency gains achieved through this coordinated purchasing strategy.